The Olympic hero we did not know we needed! Fans impressed after ‘middle-aged man disrobes to just a Speedo’ before diving into the pool to retrieve lost property of Team USA swimmer
- Sunday morning’s swim at Paris 2024 featured an unlikely hero
- A ‘middle-aged man’ was called to dive into the pool and grab a cap
- Do YOU know who the man in the speedo is? Email tips@dailymail.co.uk
There was a hilarious moment in the pool on Sunday at the Paris 2024 Games.
It happened during a short break between the preliminary rounds of the women’s 100-meter breaststroke.
The competition was temporarily stopped because an object was found at the bottom of the pool.
It turned out to be just a swimming cap that had fallen off the head of American team member Emma Weber.
However, it had to be removed and that task was entrusted to a brave volunteer, dressed in an even braver pair of swimming trunks.
A man dressed in tight, colorful swimming trunks waves to fans after emerging from the Olympic swimming pool at the Paris La Defense Arena on Sunday morning.
The ‘Speedo hero’ had jumped in to pick up a swimming cap that had fallen off one of the swimmers
He was in the water for less than 20 seconds, but his brief cameo was appreciated by the audience
Fans at the Paris La Defense Arena cheered and whistled as the man, described by witnesses on social media as “middle-aged,” walked to the side of the pool.
Within 20 seconds he was in and out of the pool, to more cheers as he waved to fans in the stands.
When footage of his big moment went viral on X (formerly Twitter), the man was widely hailed as a “hero.”
A viewer also noted: ‘The crowd cheers as a middle-aged man strips down to a speedo and dives in to grab the cap. Words I wish I hadn’t tweeted this morning.’
Another wrote: ‘A guy in a Speedo just jumped into an Olympic pool to get a swimming cap off the bottom. I want that job in 2028 @Olympics’.
Many people thought the ‘Speedo hero’ was an Olympic lifeguard, but that turned out not to be the case.
The cap is believed to have belonged to 20-year-old Team USA swimmer Emma Weber
Fans in the background applaud as the man leaves the Olympic pool
Someone wrote on Reddit: ‘For the first time in history, a lifeguard at the Olympics was given something to do!’
Another Redditor added: ‘The lifeguard outfit was totally unexpected.’
However, one response was: ‘Not really. It’s France lol.’
Do YOU know who the man in the speedo is? Email tips@dailymail.co.uk